The Bear

An Extravaganza in One Act

General Information – Performing Forces – Manuscript – Publication – Recordings

General Information: 

Composition:  1965–7

First Performance:  3 June 1967. Jubilee Hall, Aldeburgh. Monica Sinclair, Popova; John Shaw, Smirnov; Norman Lumsden, Luka. English Chamber Orchestra, James Lockhart conductor.

Duration:  About 48 minutes

Libretto:  By Paul Dehn (1912–76), adapted from Anton Chekhov (1860–1904)

Dedication:  "Dedicated to the memory of Serge and Natalie Koussevitzky"

C. Number:  C79

Performing Forces:

Cast:

Orchestral Instrumentation:

Flute (doubling piccolo), oboe (doubling English horn), clarinet (doubling bass clarinet), bassoon – horn, trumpet, trombone – timpani, 2 percussion (side drum, tenor drum, bass drum, cassa chiara, triangle, tambourine, cymbals, suspended cymbal, gong, jingles, 3 blocks, woodblock, whip, rattle, xylophone, vibraphone, tubular bells in F-sharp and C, crotales, bongos) – harp – piano – string quintet (1.1.1.1.1) or string orchestra

Manuscript:

Serge Koussevitzky Foundation Collection. Library of Congress, Washington D.C. Full score. Dated '30.4.67, Forio d'Ischia'. Also 11 pages of revisions in full score.

Frederick R. Koch Collection. Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University. Manuscript FRKF 604. Autograph sketches. 37 pages.

Publication:

Oxford University Press, 1968. Score and parts are available on hire. Material available for purchase:

Recordings:

WilliamWalton.net – Catalogue of Works – Opera